Frederick b



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,295

F. B. LITTLE I MUSICAL SOUND PRODUCING INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 17, 1927 Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK 3. LITTLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TOJ. c. DEAGA'N, mo, 01'

, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

MUSIGAL-SOUND-PRODUCING INSTRUMENT.

Application filed October 1'7, 1927. Serial No. 226,745.

My invention relates to sound producing instruments which employ sound producing bars which may bestruck by hammers or Otherwise set into vibration.

The invention has forone of its objects the provision of an improved sound dampener for the sound producing barof such an instrument.

- In carrying out this feature of" my inven- 1 tion the sound dampener bears against the upper end of the sound producing bar, the

bar being preferably suspended and bear ing the weightof the dampener. I also employ an electromagnet. which includes two elements, one an energizing winding, and the other, an armature, one of these elements being carried by said dampener and both being relatively'disposed to lift the dampener when the coil is energized. A mountmg is desirably. provided for the other one of said electromagnet elements and said bar and upon which this electromagnet element and bar are'adjustable toward and from the hammer.

In the. preferred embodiment of the invention the winding is in the form of a normally stationary solenoid coil and the armature is in the form ofa core carried by the sound dampener and entering the bore of the coil. Y

The invention also has for its object the provision of an improved suspension for the sound producing bar. In carrying out this feature of the invention the bar is suspended from a bail and a carrier is provided for the bail, having aligned grooves which receive side portions of the bail'and which carrier is received in the bight of the bail that is angularly deflected from the side portions of-the bail. This carrier desirably also carries the solenoid coil, previously referred to.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference "to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the. preferred embodiment ofthe invention with portions broken away and other portions shown in section, one form of a circuit arrangement being also illustrated; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in a side view of a portion of the structure instrument employing a hammer and a vi- F ig. 1; Fig, 3 is the, bracket portion shown inFig. 1; and Fig. 4 is an end view' brating bar which may be struck by the hammer when a sound is to be produced by the bar, boththe bar and hammer having a common support. The hammer illustrated includes a rod having a rear portion 1 which is made of iron and constitutes the core of a solenoid coil 2. There is another rod portion 3 which is supplied in addition tothe rod portion 1 and is of smaller diameter. This rod portion 3 is at that end of the solenoid coil in the direction of which the core element 1 is moved when the-soleno1d coil is energized, upon the closure of the switch 4 that serves to include the suit- I able source of current'5 in the circuit of the solenoid coil.

The coil is carried by a bracket 6 which is mounted upon a suitable support 7, said bracket being forwardly extended at 8 to also serve as a support for the bail 9 usuall: a fiber string or cord, for the tubular ll 10 or other sound producing element. A I hammer head 11 is provided upon the rod 3 and serves to strike the bell 10 each time the switch 4 is' closed, the hammer mechanism being desirably of the construction set forth in my copending application Serial Number 226,747, filed Oct. 17. 1927.

The sound dampener 12. may be in the form of a pad. It .is arranged above the elongated sound producing barlO and bears against the upper end of this bar, the weight of thesound dampener being borne by the bar. The sound dampener is mounted upon a disc 13 which may be of nonmagnetic metal. This disc and the sound dampener, carry aniron core 14 which is arranged within the bore of a solenoid coil 15. This solenoid coil is housed within a casing 16 that also constitutes a carrier for the coil. 95 This casing is provided with a block formation 17 upon its top side, this block formation being disposed within a slot 18 which is elongated in the, direction of the bracket portion 8. A threaded stem and projects upwardly from the block portion 17 A washer 20 loosely surrounds the stem 19 and is clamped against the top of 8 by the nut 21 that is screwed upon the stem 19. The side portions of the bail 9 are passed downwardly 19 is carried by 100 through the upright grooves 22 that are formed in fins that are provided upon diametrically opposite side portions of the carrier 16. The bight of the bail is angularly deflected with respect to the angular side portions thereof and receives the carrier 16.

It will be observed, from the present construction illustrated and described, that the sound dampener floats with respect to the solenoid coil and that the sound dampening influence thereof is effected by the weight thereof supplemented by the weight of the parts 13 and 14: carried thereby. To adjust the position ofthe sound producing bar 10 toward and from the hammer, the nut 21 is loosened and the carrier 16 is moved toward or from the hammer as desired. The positioning of the carrier 16 at the same time secures a corresponding position of the sound dampener, the electro-magnet, the bail 9, and the sound producing bar supported by the bail, all of these parts remaining in proper cooperation irrespective of the position of the carrier 16 upon the bracket portion 8.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

The combination with an elongated sound producing bar; of a hammer mounted upon one side of said'bar and operable to strike the bar to set it into vibration; a sound dampener bearing against the upper end of the bar and whose weight is borne by the bar; a solenoid including one element in the form of a hollow energizing winding and another element in the form of a magnetizable core received in the interior of said winding, the winding being normally stationary and the core being movable and coupled with the dampener; and a mounting for the electromagnet winding and bar and upon which this electromagnet element and bar are adjustable toward and from the hammer.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name. 1 i

FREDERICK B. LITTLE. 

